Dinosaurs

Good banh mi. I had the shaking beef ($ 7.39). The beef was flavorful, the bread was chewy, and the sandwich came with a lot of jalapeño, carrots, daikon, and cucumber inside.
There are only a few seats inside and outside.
The lunch line was long, and we probably waited 10 minutes for our sandwiches.
They currently accept credit cards but will be cash only next month.

I was in the city, craving food nearby but didn’t know where to go, so Unilocal sesh it was… and alas! It led me to this gem.
+ The banh mi here is very good and fills you up
+ Price is very affordable ($ 7.39 for the Special)
+ Quick and friendly staff
Certainly more of a grab & go place, but there is seating available if that’s what you’re looking for. I’m not sure why this place is called Dinosaurs, but does it really matter? Some dino-​mite sandwiches to be had here.

Dinosaurs has the largest and freshest spring rolls I’ve ever had! I got the combo of chicken and tofu, and even after working out, I could barely finish the rolls. They were delicious though, so I didn’t let them go to waste. I love that you can choose a variety of sauces, and the apple inside the rolls is refreshing. This place is tiny, so if you have a group, it’s best to order out.

Came here with my cousin because it was close to where we were staying. We bought 2 specials, a shrimp spring roll, and the mint mango drink. The special was very good, not the best I have had but I enjoyed it. The shrimp spring roll was delicious as well. I liked the mint mango drink, the mango flavor was pretty strong and had a minty aftertaste at the end.
We went during lunch hour and the place is very small so it was packed. Since we were living very close by we brought the food home, but if you are hoping to eat there it might be a bit difficult. My cousin really liked the look of their menu and they also have a small arcade game inside.

I wanted a Vietnamese sandwich for lunch last Sunday, May 22^nd. When I saw Dinosaurs on DoorDash, the roommate and I decided to get delivery. We placed our ordered at 12:39pm and it arrived at 1:38pm. I live in Outer Richmond.
*Pork & Shrimp: Grilled lemongrass pork with shrimp, lettuce, cucumber, green apple, cilantro, mint, and rice noodles, Served with Traditional peanut ($ 7.95)
*Grilled Chicken: Dark meat chicken, grilled with lemongrass, with pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, jalapeños, and mayo on a French baguette ($ 8.50), add Pork pâté (+$ 1.50)
*Grilled Pork: Sliced pork grilled with lemongrass with pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, jalapeños, and mayo on a French baguette ($ 7.95)
I got the chicken banh mi. There was a good amount of chicken and the veggies had a nice pickle, but there was an overwhelming amount of mayo in certain bites. I could have done with less. I love adding pâté to my sandwiches, but I wish there was more as there were just small smears throughout the baguette. The roommate got the pork banh mi and thought the same thing. Too much mayo. The addition of the green apples to the spring rolls was weird in my opinion. It added a tartness the rolls didn’t need. I wished this was a little more traditional.
I’ve been wanting to try Dinosaurs for some time now, but I gotta say, their food was just okay. My favorite vietnamese sandwiches still come from the Tenderloin.

I’ve come here many times for lunch, it is a great asset to the Castro and their avocado shake is delicious. Dinosaurs is located on the side of one of the weird SF street corners that sort of juts out (resulting in amazing architecture sometimes), and you can also access it through the tiny shopping center off Market St (next to Books Inc) or Sanchez (their actual address). I only include this info cause I’ve found myself getting turned around in trying to find it, depending on what direction I was coming from! 8)
Usually I get the beef Bahn mi sandwich, it’s very flavorful and a good portion. The avocado shake is awesome, I order it with non-​dairy milk and agave nectar to sweeten (I don’t usually like agave but a staff member at one point recommended it this way, and it is very good). Take your time with the avocado shake and don’t drink it too fast or you will wind up with a stomachache!
I was disappointed to learn last time I went in (and is perpetually happening with many of my favorite go-​to spots in SF) that they raised their prices. What used to be a cheap, filling sandwich for about $ 6 now somewhere around $ 8 (after tax). While I get that it’s SF, it’s pricey, and many local businesses have to raise prices to keep up, it is somewhat disheartening to see your favorite places raise their prices.
But it’s okay, Dinosaurs, I still love you and will eat your sandwiches.

After a super rough day at work and then muni breaking down, I just wanted to get some good food and get my ass home. The closest place on this list I’m trying to finish was Dinosaurs. I had heard that Stef had tried it and enjoyed it so I thought I’d try this place.
I decided to go with the grilled pork sandwich — was on the list and honestly, it looked like one of the best to me. The location is SMALL though — only a few tables so I couldn’t actually sit there and eat. A few minutes later, my sandwich was done.
I got home and finally dug into the sandwich. The sandwich was FILLED with the meat though. Not necessarily worth the $ 8 I paid since I can get a sandwich for like $ 5 in FiDi or even less in some places.
Protip: Don’t plan on eating there. Probably not enough space!

3 stars for the avocado shake! They use vanilla rice milk and pure sugar cane instead of whole milk and condense milk and it tastes 100x healthier than reg avocado shake. Refreshing, less artificial than most places and is the cherry on top for your sandwich meal.
Sandwich: pretty steep for what I’m used to buying, $ 9 compared to $ 3.50 in San Jose. Nothing spectacular about it, other than it’s a small little shop, but it is good.
Overall, I wouldn’t come here too often cause it’s pricey. But I’d recommend trying their avocado shake!

Dinosaurs vegan Bahn Mi was listed as one of the top seven vegan sandwiches in the Nation by VegNews magazine so was excited to give it a try.
Dinosaurs offered two different vegan Bahn Mi-​Crispy Tofu or Roasted Portobello. I went with the Crispy Tofu– Fried shreds of tofu, taro, rice noodles, & jicama with Vegenaise, pickled carrots & daikon, cucumber, & jalapeños on a French baguette.
It was $ 7 yet received a 10 percent discount with an online Unilocal check in so was just $ 6.85.
They have Sriracha there & even sell Sriracha key chains for one to take Sriracha on the go.
The Crispy Tofu Bahn Mi was tasty & flavorful. Kudos to Dinosaurs for going the extra mile adding Vegenaise to their sandwiches making a traditional vegan version of the Bahn Mi.
They had spring rolls with one or two being vegan & potato chips yet would be great if Dinosaurs would offer some vegan Phở or traditional noodle soup or Rice Noodle Salad.
They already have the vegan Bahn Mi dialed yet these additional sides would make Dinosaurs go from great to excellent!

The Special is a somewhat refined version of the cold cut aka dac biet that you would get from a traditional vietnamese sandwich shop. The sandwich was packed with roast pork, but omits the weird stuff like headcheese that I enjoy. There were a ton of picked carrots, which are less vinegary then normal. Their bread was great. Though the flavors tasted dialed down in comparison traditional banh mi dac biet, it was a well put together sandwich and left me pretty happy.

Definitely my favorite banh mí in San Francisco. I was tempted to give 5 stars, but the price (over $ 8 with tax) seemed a bit steep…
I really like the space. It’s on one hand authentic feeling but on the other fun, bright, and semi-​hipster-​ish. The dinosaurs, Sriracha key chains, and arcade game make it funky and inviting.
The Special sandwich — a pork combo — is terrific. The bread was exactly what I had all over Saigon — sufficiently substantial but crispy and airy. The pâté was terrific and the veggie toppings were plentiful but not overwhelming. There was also plenty of jalapeños to give it some heat.
Service was quick and friendly. The sandwich was ready in under five minutes and they accommodated my request for less roasted pork and more pork loaf and pâté.
I will definitely be returning here!

In terms of Vietnamese sandwiches, it’s alright.
The more fulfilling artisan bread is a nice change from the baguettes I am accustomed to from Lee’s, Dakao, and Huong Lan in the South Bay. The Special (roasted pork, fancy pork loaf and pork pâté, $ 7.39) is as close as you can get to the traditional «banh mi thit nguoi» (my personal favorite), but it simply does not cut it for me in terms of taste. It’s a good sandwich, but if you’re looking for authenticity, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
That avocado smoothie, on the other hand… is the best damn smoothie I have ever tasted outside of my home! Most places tend to make it too thick, too sweet, and/​or too watery. Dinosaur’s avocado shake (fresh avocado, vanilla rice milk and pure cane sugar, $ 4.50) is the most balanced and freshest avocado shake I’ve bought, ever! Rice milk is definitely a better ingredient to use in those kind of shakes than regular or even condensed milk, and going organic with the cane sugar was the best thing to do.
Seriously, if I ever make the trek to that place again, it will only be for that damn good avocado smoothie.

Solid Vietnamese sandwiches, although a bit pricy ($ 7) for a banh mi. I’m glad the meat isn’t super fatty, yet its still flavorful. The portions are also quite generous, stuffed with lots of veggies! They go a little overboard with the mayo, but you can just always wipe that off.
If I’m in the area and craving a Vietnamese sandwich, I’ll be back!

This place is solid. Sandwiches are about $ 7 and delicious. Vegan friendly
The Special is my favorite, but I’d eat there even if I had to pick randomly from the menu.
If you’re in the neighborhood and need a fast & tasty meal, you cannot go wrong with Dinosaurs.

The shaking beef sandwich was so fricking delicious. I couldn’t help myself and devoured it within a few minutes. I was almost tempted to order a second sandwich just because it was so good, but I had to resist otherwise I’d be stuffed. The price is certainly on the pricier end for banh mi sandwiches, but I think it’s worth it.
Checkin on Unilocal for 10% off.

Dinosaurs is one of the few places you can stop for Vietnamese sandwiches late at night. This location is on our way home from the gym. It’s a nice choice if you want a quick and easy bite to eat for dinner but aren’t feeling like Mexican food. Prices are higher than average. My favorite banh mi spots are still in the inner Richmond but Dinosaurs definitely fills a void in the neighborhood and their menu offerings are interesting and different compared to a traditional style banh mi shop. I wish the bread were softer inside but overall the taste is satisfying. I’m more curious about the cans of condensed soy milk that I saw displayed. I’d like to try some of the drinks off their menu to see how I like it. Their menu tries to cater to a lot of different dietary needs which is great!

Wheee, I love Dinosaurs! The restaurant is pretty small, but they also have a few tables of outdoor seating.
Their banh mi’s are slightly more expensive than other banh mi places (~$ 7), but it’s definitely worth it. Their sandwiches are always overflowing with filling, so you’ll never complain of a boring bite of just bread. I always get «the special», which has roasted pork, pork loaf, and pâté, plus pickled carrots and radish, jalapenos, cucumber, and cilantro. It’s different from the barbecue-​flavored banh mi’s that I’ve had at some other places, but it’s even more delicious. The avocado shake is also thick and creamy — you can actually taste the avocado, but it’s not too strong.

Since I was exploring more of San Francisco, I decided to visit Dinosaurs with a friend one Thursday night. It was definitely empty and looks like one of those hole-​in-​the-​wall places, but the Vietnamese sandwiches here were pretty darn good in terms of quality and portion size! My only concern would be the prices, as they are a bit high for what they served here. I typically never pay more than $ 5.00 for a banh mi sandwich, but it is a bit overpriced here. Delicious, but not typically worth your money.
As for the customer service, the staff members were very nice and friendly. Four stars for a satisfactory experience here!

I had high expectations for this place because some people have told me it is their favorite sandwich place in SF.
I got a shaking beef sandwich and a Thai iced tea.
The tea was mediocre, not bad, not good.
The sandwich was disappointing… I liked the bread and the mayo based sauce… but the meat and the pickled vegetables just weren’t flavorful enough. The meat was similar to philly cheese steak meat in texture but didn’t have much flavor. The pickled vegetables was mostly made of carrots and wasn’t sweet nor pickled for long enough… Overall I found the whole sandwich to be quite lacking.
I did have a bite of my friend’s grilled chicken sandwich and thought his meat went better with the sandwich as a whole. But unfortunately the disappointing pickles makes this place very mediocre for me.

DINO sandwiches are so bomb!
Their house special ham sandwich with pâté, pickled carrots, a slice of cucumber and topped with a shred of cilantro, is so loaded with yummy goodness! They have other sandwiches if that doesn’t suit your palate. I like how they offer Sriracha as a side hot sauce condiment.
Their shrimp spring rolls are delicious for an opening delight.
It’s a great place for a lunch stop and they have a cozy, outdoor seating area for you to bring the sammie outside to nom away at while enjoying the breeze.

Pour manger sur le pouce quelque chose qui change des burgers et des sandwichs, Dinosaurs est un endroit sympa, abordable et bien situé dans le quartier de Castro, à 2 pas du métro et du Bart.
C’est plutôt bon et frais sans être exceptionnel mais on est servi rapidement et on peut manger sur les quelques tables se trouvant dans l’établissement.
On y trouve des rouleaux de printemps, des salades fraiches et des banh-​mi.
C’est certain, on né vient pas ici pour un repas romantique mais plutôt avec une bande d’amis pour se rassasier avant d’aller boire un verre sur Mission ou Valencia street.
Rouleaux de printemps crevettes et sauce cacahuète 6.50 $